We identified four common SNPs representing four genomic regions: 7q22.3 (rs10950641; SNX8; P = 3.39 × 10−14), 19p13.2 (rs4804217; PCP2; P = 2.95 × 10−9), 3q27.3 (rs6796803; KNG1; P = 6.42 × 10−9) and 15q22.2 (rs4775319; RORA; P = 1.02 × 10−8), suggesting SNX8, PCP2, KNG1 and RORA might be novel target genes for NP in patients with head and neck cancer. The gene discussed is RORA; the disease is head and neck cancer.